Eavesdropping
by redrider6612
Summary: Angela overhears Booth and Brennan doing something...intimate in Brennan's office.  This is going to be a shortie, 5 or 6 chapters.  First chapter rated K, but I'm rating it M because of Chapter 5.  Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**Eavesdropping**

Angela was walking down the hall on her way to her own office. Just as she passed Brennan's office door, which was almost completely shut, she heard a moan in a deep male voice and she stopped short. What the…? She craned her neck. The desk was deserted. She looked the other way, toward the couch, but the angle was wrong and she couldn't see anything. Damn, the blinds were closed. Then she heard Brennan's voice and her heart stopped then resumed double time as she grinned with excitement. If what she thought was happening was actually happening, no way was she going to interrupt. But that didn't mean she couldn't eavesdrop for a bit, just to make sure what she thought was happening, was in fact happening.

"Take off your shirt," Brennan commanded, sounding slightly out of breath. Angela clapped a hand over her mouth to contain a squeal. There was a rustle of clothing and the springs in the couch creaked.

A moment later. "Lower," came Booth's voice, soft and husky. "Yeah, ooooh, that's it….harder…mmm-hmm…" he trailed off into a moan of pleasure. More creaking from the couch.

"Wait, I can't reach, turn a bit more…" Brennan said in a low voice. Creak, creak.

"Why haven't we done this before?" Booth asked, breaking off on a breathy groan.

"Because of your inhibitions," Brennan said matter-of-factly. Angela heard a smile in her voice.

"What inhibitions?" Booth asked in what was supposed to be an indignant voice, but came out pretty weak.

Angela could hear the suppressed laughter in her friend's voice. "You're uncomfortable discussing intimacy, so I thought you would be uncomfortable with—"

"I am not!" he protested, his voice a bit stronger, though muffled. He moaned deeply and there was a long pause. "We frequently discuss sex—"

"And every time you get agitated—"

"That's because you always have to apply your damned 'anthropological imperatives'—"

"What do you expect? I'm an anthropologist, that is how I relate to things—"

"Do you suppose, just once, you could relate to the subject as a woman?" Booth asked provocatively. Angela guessed that he had changed position because his voice was louder, clearer.

"Would that make you feel better?" The laughter was gone from Brennan's voice. Uh-oh, Angela thought. Trouble in paradise.

"I don't know. Maybe. Why don't you try it sometime?" he asked, frustration evident in his voice.

Long pause. "I think that would have the opposite effect," came Brennan's cool, logical voice. Come on, Bren, Angela thought. You'regoing to spoil everything

"Why?" Booth asked, a puzzled note in his voice.

Creak. Footsteps. Angela shrank against the wall outside the door. She had to hear this. The footsteps faded as they went away from the door.

"If I did that, it would be difficult to maintain a professional distance," Brennan said in an even voice. Creak, heavier footsteps as Booth left the couch.

"Why is that?" he asked.

"Look, if I keep it clinical, then emotions don't enter into it, and I can maintain the distance necessary to sustain a platonic relationship with you…" Pregnant pause. A deep sigh. "Are we done here? Because I really have to get back to work." Cool. Professional. Distant. Angela wanted to burst into the room and slap some sense into her.

Booth sighed. "Yeah,…uh, thanks for the massage, it helped a lot," he said. A rustle of clothing indicated he was pulling his shirt back on.

Massage? Angela straightened from the wall, disappointed. It seems she had overheard Brennan giving Booth a massage, nothing more. Still, if she was any judge of vocal nuances—and face it, she was the queen of that--these two were on the brink. She hurried on down the hall, her hopes higher than they'd ever been. It was just a matter of time, she thought excitedly.

**Shall I continue? C'mon, click the little blue button and tell me what you think.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Eavesdropping**

**Part 2**

Angela locked her office door as she was leaving late on Wednesday the following week. She glanced down the hall and frowned as she noted that Brennan's office was dark. She didn't think Brennan had left…she always came and said goodnight when she left first. She wandered into the lab. The platform was empty. She heard voices from overhead and she realized her friend was in the lounge…and she wasn't alone. The deep tenor of one of the voices sounded like…Booth? A grin spread over her face. A little more eavesdropping was in order. Moving as silently as possible, she crept close enough so she could hear most of what was said.

"…how you can say that," Brennan was saying. "There's no such thing as 'the one' when it comes to sexual partners. Sex is all about satisfying biological urges. It's necessary to the survival of the human race."

"Right there," Booth said roughly. "That is what I'm talking about. There is big difference between sex and making love."

"Oh, come on. While I acknowledge that there is a certain amount of chemistry involved, it still comes down to the fact that biological urges are necessary for procreation. In situations where the number of possible sexual partners is severely limited, people will still pair up." Brennan's voice had that logical, almost self righteous tone that Angela knew really irritated Booth. She suppressed a sigh. Would the woman never learn?

Booth groaned in frustration. "This is one of those situations we were talking about last week…you know, when you might consider looking at things from a _woman's_ point of view instead of as a scientist."

There was a long pause, so long that Angela began to wonder what they were doing. Then Brennan spoke. "That would be difficult, since I have no personal experience to base it on," she said evenly. Angela felt a pang of sympathy.

"Oh…" Booth said, clearly at a loss as to how to respond. "Are you saying you've never been in love?" he finally asked, clearly surprised. Angela was with him…how did somebody reach three decades without having experienced being in love?

"Haven't we been over this before? I don't believe in romantic love the way you do. It doesn't make any sense," she said dismissively.

Movement overhead and then Booth's voice came, clearer this time. "You're right, it doesn't make sense. It defies logic. It's about feelings, and when it's with the right person, there's nothing like it."

"But how do you know its love? How do you know it isn't just…euphoria stimulated by dopamine and norepinephrine?" Angela's heart went out to her friend. She was trying so hard to understand. But she knew if anyone could show Brennan what love was all about, it was Booth.

Booth sighed. "You just know, with a certainty that goes deep…so deep, there's no room for doubt."

"Sounds like you're speaking from experience," Brennan noted.

"Well, yeah," Booth said. "Rebecca and I…" he trailed off and Angela guessed that he must have realized that might not be the best example.

"But…you're…not…together," Brennan said slowly in confusion.

Booth blew out a breath and Angela felt sorry for him. "It doesn't always work out, no matter how much you might want it to—"

"So, how is that an example of there being such a thing as 'the one'?" Brennan asked, and Angela could picture the air quotes in her question. She had to stifle a groan of frustration.

"Okay, bad example…at the time, I really thought she was…and we'd still be together if she hadn't said no…" Booth said haltingly, his tone clearly indicating his awareness that he was totally blowing it. There was an awkward pause in which Angela imagined Brennan was trying to understand how Booth could still believe in true love in view of his experience.

"Do you want to change your answer?" Brennan asked wryly.

"No," Booth replied doggedly.

"Really? Are you sure? It is allowed, you know," she said teasingly, obviously feeling generous since she seemed to have won the argument.

"Bones, I believe in love because I love—shit! What time is it?" Booth asked suddenly. "Wow, its late…I gotta go. Thanks for dinner, Bones."

Brennan chuckled. "You don't have to go just because you lost the argument," she needled.

"We are not done with this," Booth replied, his voice so low, Angela had to strain to hear him. "We will discuss this again…soon." Angela shivered at the seductive promise in his voice she could hear, even from this distance. Then footsteps sounded on the stairs and she withdrew into the shadows.


	3. Chapter 3

**Eavesdropping**

**Part 3**

Brennan tapped the file against her leg as she waited for Booth to answer his door. She could have waited until Monday to show it to him, but she knew he'd want to see the reports on their victim right away. He might be able to come up with a fresh angle by Monday if he had the whole weekend to review them.

The door opened. "Bones," he said with a frown. "What are you doing here?" He was dressed in a pair of worn jeans and a faded navy blue FBI T-shirt.

"I thought I'd bring by the file on our victim," she said, holding it out to him.

Instead of taking it, which would have allowed her to leave, he motioned her in. "C'mon in. I just finished cleaning up the kitchen. Want a beer?" he asked as he closed the door behind her.

"Well, I wasn't going to stay…I'm sure you have plans," she said, glancing around his tidy apartment, thankful that he was alone.

"Nah, I was just gonna watch some T.V. You want some iced tea?" he asked, determined to get her to stay now that she was here, right where he wanted her. He wanted to talk to her. He had been trying to decide on a pretense to see her this weekend. Now he didn't have to.

"Iced tea would be nice," she said with an uncertain smile. He motioned her to the couch and went into the kitchen, returning a moment later with two glasses of iced tea. She was perched on the edge of the couch as though ready to bolt any second. Booth sat next to her, not so close as to make her nervous, but close enough that he could touch her if he wanted to. Which he did. But he could wait until she had relaxed a bit.

"Zach finished up the tissue markers, so Angela should have a face for us by noon on Monday," Brennan began, putting the file on the coffee table and opening it so she could refer to the reports. Booth leaned forward and tried to follow what she was saying, knowing that she was most comfortable while talking about her squinty stuff. As usual, a lot of it went over his head, and he found his attention wandering. She smelled wonderful and he was intensely aware of her thigh, inches from his, her shoulder so close it was almost touching his.

"Insect activity puts time since death at thirty two days," she said, glancing over at him. She frowned as she noticed his eyes seemed to be focused on her mouth. "You're not paying attention," she accused, pursing her lips in irritation.

Booth straightened a bit and met her eyes. "I am too! Thirty two days, got it," he said.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "What did I say was the cause of death?" she asked suspiciously.

Booth tried to remember, but her proximity was messing with his concentration. "Uh, stabbing?" he ventured. He thought she had said something about a knife, but he wasn't sure.

She sighed. "No, her hyoid is fractured, so she was probably strangled. The knife wounds were post mortem. Do you want to talk about this later?" she asked.

"Maybe we should," Booth replied, sitting back. "I'm beat."

Brennan closed the file and pushed it away. "That's fine. I could come back tomorrow or Sunday so we can go over it." She picked up her drink and took a long sip. "Well, I guess I should go and leave you to relax," she began, starting to get up. Booth stopped her with a hand on her arm.

"Wait, don't go," he said softly. She looked at him, surprised. "I want to talk to you."

"About--?" she asked warily. She wasn't good at reading people, but there was something in his eyes that was warning her that the subject wasn't going to be to her liking.

"Us," he said briefly. Her fight or flight instincts came to screaming life, and she jumped to her feet, choosing the flight option.

He caught her as she started to open the door. He pushed it shut and he leaned his shoulder against the panel, folding his arms over his chest. Brennan looked up at him, breathing harder than was warranted. ""Let me go, Booth." It was a desperate plea.

"No," he said firmly. "We need to talk about this…thing between us."

"Everybody I love leaves me," she said sadly, catching at his heart.

"Not me," he said gently, firmly.

She pinned him with a skeptical look. "You can't promise that…nobody can."

He reached out and traced a finger down her soft cheek causing her to flinch. "You're right. There's no guarantees in life. Does that mean you never take any chances?" he asked softly.

She closed her eyes to hide the tears. "Can't you just…leave it alone?" she asked with a break in her voice.

"No," he replied, stroking his knuckles along her jaw line, stopping at the dent in her chin.

She drew a shaky breath and opened her eyes to look into his. The warmth she found there stopped her breath. "It'll ruin everything," she warned.

"How do you know?" he asked curiously. "It might make it even better."

"And if it doesn't? What if it's a mistake? I can survive anything but losing your friendship," she confessed unwillingly.

He moved closer and threaded his fingers into her silky hair. She tilted her head to press into the caress. She couldn't have moved away if her life depended on it. "I'm not going anywhere," he assured her again, the timbre of his voice sending thrills along her spine. "Your friendship means a lot to me too. But it's been more than friendship for a long time. I'm tired of pretending otherwise."

Her eyes fluttered shut as his fingers massaged her scalp. "What makes you think I feel the same way?" she asked weakly, playing her last card.

His fingers suddenly tensed in her hair, no longer gentle. "Look at me!" he said roughly. Startled, her eyes flew open to find his face too close. "Try to fool yourself, but you can't fool me. I _know_ you feel it too."

She shook her head mutely, unable to find the words for the lie. The tears she'd been holding back fell and his frustration at her stubbornness disappeared. With a groan he pulled her into his arms, folding her close and rocking her gently. He never could handle her tears.

As usual, she was the first to stop hugging. He reluctantly pulled back as she dropped her arms from his back. And then she looked up at him, her eyes brilliant with tears, and the last of his self control deserted him. With a deep groan he leaned down and kissed her.

Brennan's head spun as his lips caressed hers and her knees nearly buckled when she gasped and his tongue swept in. Her hands clutched at his shoulders as her world tilted on its axis and she moaned as he deepened the kiss and pulled her closer. Time no longer had any meaning as the kiss went on until every last bit of resistance in her was gone. His heart swelled as he felt her surrender and she began kissing him back, drawing his tongue deep. Her fingers threaded up into his hair, pulling him closer.

They needed to stop. Before he gave in to the raging desire that was threatening to overwhelm him. Before he completely blew it and took her here, on the floor. When they finally came together, he wanted it to be special. He wanted her to know it was so much more than satisfying biological urges. He wanted to show her the difference between sex and making love. Right now it was too new.

He pulled back, even though it was the last thing he wanted to do. Her eyes fluttered open and she gazed at him with a dazed expression. His eyes were dark with desire, his face flushed as he fought to catch his breath and Brennan didn't understand why he'd stopped. "Booth?" she whispered.

"Not like this," he murmured breathlessly. "Not yet…you're not ready."

She shook her head in confusion. "Are you kidding?"

He set her away from him, holding her steady until he was sure she had regained her balance. "When you're ready, I'll show you," he promised huskily. He forced himself to open the door. "You should go."

Her brows slammed together and she was suddenly furious. "Make up your mind!" she snapped. "Five minutes ago you wouldn't let me go, now you can't wait to get rid of me!"

Booth sighed and closed the door again, then pulled her back up against his body so she would have no doubt how much he wanted her. She was staring up at him angrily, her eyes flashing. "When we _make love_," he said in a husky whisper heavy with sensual promise, "we're gonna do it right. In a bed. All night. With no interruptions." She opened her mouth to argue and he pushed up her chin with his knuckle, affectively silencing her. "When the time is right," he assured her, then he dropped a swift kiss on her lips. "Now, why don't you go before I say to hell with all that and take you right here?"

She gasped, incredibly turned on by the look in his eyes, his voice, most of all his words. He stepped back and opened the door again, and this time, after one last look at him, she left. Closing the door after her, he leaned his forehead against the door and sighed. His mind was telling him he'd done the right thing, but his body wasn't listening. Straightening, he went to take a cold shower.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thank you all for the wonderful reviews. I'm so glad you're enjoying my story. This next part is pretty short, but I needed it to set up for the next chappie.**

**Eavesdropping**

**Part 4**

Weeks went by. A month. Brennan wasn't staying late every night like she used to, and that piqued Angela's curiosity. She watched the partners carefully whenever they were together around her, alert for any sign that things might have developed. They were either very good at hiding it, or nothing was going on. It was frustrating. Then one evening she caught a break.

She went to Brennan's office late on Friday to give her the sketch of their latest victim. She paused in the doorway. Brennan was at her desk, but her chair was turned away from the door and she was on the phone. Something about her posture told Angela it wasn't a business related call. Then Brennan chuckled huskily and she knew she had hit pay dirt. Quietly stepping back outside the door, she listened.

"How long are you going to hold out on me?" Brennan murmured with a smile in her voice. She paused for a reply from her caller. "Really? I doubt that. I think I'm beginning to wear you down." The caller must have said something funny, because she laughed again. "What's the big deal? It's just sex—" she said softly, breaking off when her caller interrupted her. "Well, I don't know whether to be impressed or worried. Nobody's ever made me wait this long. I'm beginning to think there might be some…physical reason, maybe some kind of medical condition or deformity—" she suggested laughingly. Angela could faintly hear the shouting on the other end as Brennan pulled the receiver away from her ear. Angela covered her mouth to smother a laugh. She was so bad!

Angela jumped when the chair creaked, certain that she was about to get caught, but Brennan had only leaned forward. "I'm kidding, Booth!" she said, laughter in her voice. Angela almost peed herself right then and there. Yes! she thought gleefully.

"Maybe I'll just throw you down and have my way with you," Brennan mock threatened. Another pause. Another husky chuckle. "I doubt that. I'm stronger than I look. Besides, I don't think you'll be able to resist my feminine wiles much longer—" she said, breaking off with a laugh. "Ha! Sure, you talk tough over the phone. Why don't you come here and say that?" she challenged. Another pause. "That's true, we can't have that. So…my place or yours?"

Angela had heard enough. She straightened and moved off down the hall, then retraced her steps and walked into Brennan's office like she had just gotten there. Brennan shot her a guilty look which she quickly masked as she hung up the phone. Angela grinned and handed over the sketch. "Our victim," she said unnecessarily.

Brennan looked at the sketch thoughtfully, then looked up to find Angela still grinning at her. "Is something funny?" she asked with a frown.

Angela made an effort to sober up. "Nothing. I'm just in a great mood. I love Fridays," she said, still with a smirk.

Brennan narrowed her eyes at her, but let her strange behavior pass without comment. "Did you run this through missing persons?"

"Yeah, no hits. I'll work on it some more on Monday, see if I can make something pop. Right now, I'm headed out. Hodgie and I have a date."

Brennan stood and picked up her bag and reached for her jacket. "Me too. I mean, heading out, because it's late…" she said quickly to cover her slip.

Angela smiled. "Well, see ya Monday. Have fun!" she said cheekily, breezing out the door. She managed to contain the squeal until she was in her car with the door shut.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thank you so much for the enthusiastic reviews. Woo-hoo! Musie is really lovin' you guys! So, buckle your seatbelts and brace yourselves for a really smutty chappie. Booth is about to show Brennan 'the difference'. Enjoy!**

**Eavesdropping**

**Part 5**

Tonight was the night. She had made up her mind, no matter what, they were going to do it tonight. They had been dating for five and a half weeks and they hadn't had sex yet. She was beginning to wonder if it was her. She didn't think so, after all, she'd had a number of partners and had never had this problem before. Maybe he didn't want…no, that couldn't be it. If their passionate kisses were any indication, he was just as attracted to her as she was to him. It was puzzling. They were two healthy consenting unattached adults who were physically compatible, there was no reason they shouldn't satisfy their bodily needs. That she was willing to acknowledge that fact showed just how far she had come, not that she would ever admit it.

She looked at her reflection with a critical eye. The teal satin nightgown clung in all the right places, revealed just the right amount of flesh. The man would have to be stone cold to resist her. Picking up a tiny bottle of expensive perfume, she dabbed it in strategic spots, behind each ear, between her breasts, behind each knee. Fluffing her hair one last time, she turned and picked up the matching satin robe and slipped it on, tying the belt. She looked one last time, then turned away with a smile. He wasn't going to know what hit him.

Booth jingled his keys, waiting for Bones to answer her door. _Temperance_, he reminded himself with a wry grin. She insisted that he call her by her first name when they weren't at work. He had managed to get used to it, but he still thought of her as his Bones. Finally the door opened and his jaw dropped, his words of greeting dying on his lips.

"Hi," she said in her smoky voice, a soft smile on her lips. Booth's pulse started pounding as his eyes ran down her body. By the time he dragged his eyes back to her face his libido was howling like a wolf at the moon.

"Hi," he rasped, then cleared his throat. "Interesting outfit. I'm not sure, but I don't think that's proper attire for the theatre." He tried for a joking tone, but it fell flat. Pulling the door open further, she motioned him in and shut the door behind him.

"I thought we'd stay in," she said with a husky chuckle.

Booth shoved his hands in his pockets to stop himself from grabbing her right then and there. He looked around. "Something wrong with your lights?" he asked, noting the dim lighting. There were lit candles on the coffee table and end tables, casting a romantic glow over the room.

She chuckled again but chose not to answer. "Have a seat," she directed, motioning at the couch. He sat cautiously, watching her curiously as she went to the kitchen and came back a moment later with two glasses of red wine. Handing him one, she sat down on the couch next to him and took a sip, placing the wine glass on the coffee table. Booth took a small sip and did the same. "Relax," she urged him with a smile. "I'm not going to jump you." _Not right away, anyway_, she added silently.

"Okay, Bo—Temperance, c'mon, fess up, what's with the seduction scene? I thought we agreed we were gonna wait—"

"No, as I recall, you told me you wanted to wait until we were ready. I never agreed," she corrected, ever the logical woman.

Booth frowned. "Look, I just think we need time to get used to the change in our relationship. I don't think we should rush into anything—"

Brennan leaned closer and her robe fell open a bit, giving him a tantalizing glimpse of her cleavage. "It's been nearly six weeks. I would hardly call that rushing," she said in that satin-over-sand voice of hers.

Booth couldn't tear his eyes away from her lips and he was having a hard time remembering all the logical reasons he had lined up for why they were waiting as her proximity played hell with his senses. God she smelled good, nearly as good as she looked. And then she touched his thigh and his hormones started clamoring for more. He swallowed thickly.

"It isn't that I don't want you, Temperance," he said huskily. He leaned forward and kissed her briefly and he heard her suck in a breath as he touched her cheek tenderly. "I do. But it isn't just sex with us. It's making love. I wanna make sure we're both on the same page with that."

She scooted closer, deliberately invading his personal space, moving so that their lips were inches apart. "You've told me there's a difference between sex and making love. I think its time for you to show me," she whispered. His warm brown eyes locked with hers and he was lost. With a groan he closed the distance between them. Her mouth immediately opened to his and her tongue stroked over his, sending his pulse into double time.

Brennan moaned, straining closer, frustrated because he seemed to be holding back. His hands were clasped around her upper arms even though his lips were eagerly nibbling at hers. She pulled away with a frown, blinking up at him. "Booth? What--?"

"Easy," he murmured with a half smile. "No need to rush. We've got all night." Her heart took flight at his words. Finally! His hands shook a little as he stroked them up over her shoulders and neck to frame her lovely face. Her eyes closed as he leaned in to kiss her soft cheek, then her nose, eyebrow and the corner of her eye, the touch of his lips so fleeting and light, she almost could have dreamed it. She sighed a little as his hands threaded up into her hair and she shifted closer, aching to be touched more intimately. Her hands went to his buttons and she was relieved he didn't stop her as she worked to divest him of his shirt. He gave a little shrug as she pushed it off his shoulders and she sat back a little so she could look. Mmmmm, he was definitely a fine male specimen, the scientific side of her thought. Then she put her hands on his well sculpted pecs and her feminine side took over. Trailing her fingers down his abs, she found his belt buckle. Booth sucked in a breath.

"Temperance, wait," he whispered hoarsely, covering her hands with his. Her eyes met his and her lips quirked as she sensed how hard he was fighting to control himself. She leaned up to kiss him, slipping her tongue in to tease him. When she pulled back, he drew a shaky breath, trying to get his brain to form a coherent thought. "Let's go in the bedroom," he finally managed to say and she smiled slyly—victory was hers.

There were more candles lit in the bedroom, and Booth cocked a smile at her after looking around the dimly lit room. "Pretty confident, weren't you?" he asked, pulling her into his arms at the bedside.

She gave a husky chuckle that ratcheted his desire up a few more notches. "I can be very hard to resist when I want to be," she murmured, winding her arms up around his neck. She stroked one foot up his leg and his self control took another major hit.

"I know," Booth replied as her moist open mouth started at his collar bone and moved slowly up his neck. Reaching up to grasp her wrists, he pulled them down. She made a sexy little sound of disappointment until his intent became clear. Pushing the satin robe from her shoulders, he leaned down to kiss the soft skin of her shoulder as he slid his fingers under the narrow straps of the nightgown and slid it off too. Just that fast she was naked before him and he sucked in a breath as he looked his fill. The candlelight flickered, playing over her satiny skin like molten silver, leaving intriguing shadows that he was looking forward to exploring.

She was standing there, trembling a little, waiting for him to do something…and then he pulled her close and turned, dropping to the bed with her. She was disappointed that he was still only half naked, but she forgot about it as his lips and hands worked their magic.

Her senses were hyper alert, every nerve ending practically throbbing with awareness, flooding her mind with sensory input at every caress. His hand moved to cup her breast and his thumb brushed her nipple and she nearly came right there, with that mere touch. His lips teased at the other breast and his tongue made a leisurely circle around her aureole until she grasped his hair and pulled his head closer, wordlessly begging him to stop teasing. With a breathless chuckle he complied, drawing her nipple into his mouth, rolling it with his tongue. She writhed with ecstasy as her center ached with need and her hips strained against him.

He propped his head on his hand, watching her eyes, heavy lidded with desire, as he slowly stroked his hand down her ribs, over the curve of her hip and then down, stopping short of the curls at the apex of her thighs. She was almost sobbing with need by now.

"Say it," he demanded huskily and she rolled her hips, trying to get him to touch her where she wanted it most.

"Stop teasing me, dammit. It isn't funny," she growled, working at the button and zipper of his pants. Without his cooperation, she couldn't do more than open them, but that was enough so that she could reach in to do some teasing of her own. He groaned raggedly as her fingers ran along his throbbing cock and he agreed it wasn't funny any more. In fact, it was damned serious now.

Moving more quickly than he had all night, he shucked his pants and boxers and rolled back to pin her to the bed. Her hands were grasping at his hips, trying to pull him in, but still he held back. Propping himself on his elbows, he paused a moment to enjoy the sensation of having her beneath him. He didn't think it was possible to be any more turned on than he already was, but somehow having her there, with her eyes half closed with desire and her silky hair spilled over his pillow sent his passion soaring even higher.

She lifted a leg and shifted, bringing them closer to actually joining, but still he held back, his eyes locked with hers. She stilled at the incredibly tender look in his eyes. Nobody had ever looked at her that way before. A lump blocked her throat and tears sprang to her eyes as she realized…she'd never really had a lover before, not like this.

"I love you," he said, finally admitting it aloud for the first time. She opened her mouth to answer and he chose that moment to move his hips, slowly, completely filling her as he held her gaze, watching her every reaction. The sensations that were radiating from the place they were joined were overwhelming, stealing her thoughts and making speech impossible. She moved her pelvis, following his rhythm, trusting him to take her where she wanted to go, needed to go. He gradually increased the speed, bringing her to the brink, only to slow down and start the buildup over again. Again and again he did it, until her hands were clutching at his buttocks and she was begging him raggedly for release.

Finally, unable to hold back any longer, he buried himself as deep as he could go and poured himself into her, crying out at the incredible waves of pleasure that were crashing through him. His hips continued to pump as he drove her to her release.

"I love you," she cried as she came, harder and deeper than she ever had before. Her arms squeezed him close, trying to absorb him into her being, and suddenly she understood how two people could become one. She lost track of where she ended and he began as they lay there entwined, their hearts thundering in unison.

Long moments later he rolled to his back, and his arm around her back drew her to lie across his chest. His hand stroked the silky skin of her back as his other hand caressed her arm where it lay on his abdomen. She kissed his jaw and lay her head on his chest.

"I think I understand," she murmured huskily. His hand stilled on her back as he waited for her to go on. "The difference. It's much…deeper…more meaningful…amazing," she said with a note of awe in her voice. Happiness flooded his whole being and he turned his head to look down at her. Feeling his gaze, she looked up and he knew she was serious. The empiricist in her had concluded that he was right. "Was it like this with Rebecca?" she asked.

He pushed aside his uneasiness over discussing his ex with her, recognizing her need to know where she stood with him. "No, not really. It was…different…but not as…intense," he replied as honestly as he could.

"Why do you think that is?" she asked, trying to pinpoint why exactly it felt so different this time, with him.

Booth sighed. "Because we love each other," he said, hoping that would be enough. He should have known it wouldn't be.

"I thought you loved Rebecca," she countered, and Booth stifled a groan. Did they _have_ to discuss this _now_?

"I thought I did," he said. "Maybe I just wanted to love her so badly, I fooled myself into believing I did," he admitted against his will.

"How do you know you're not fooling yourself again?" she whispered, and his heart caught at the fear in her voice.

"Honestly? Because there were so many reasons we shouldn't be together, but I fell in love with you anyway. All the reasons in the world couldn't stop it." Gathering her tighter against him, he kissed her lingeringly. "Now, why don't you give it a rest? No matter how hard you try, you can't apply logic to love."

She sighed contentedly. She didn't have the energy for a debate right now. "Will it be this way every time?" she asked wistfully, snuggling up to him as she started to get sleepy.

"If I have anything to do with it, it will," he promised, pulling up the comforter and settling in to fall asleep as well. She fit so perfectly in his arms, he knew he'd sleep well tonight. Until desire for her woke him again, that is. But like he told her earlier, they had all night.

**Well, what did you think? Did he show her, or what? Click the little blue button and tell me what you thought. Thanks for reading.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: So here it is, the final chapter. Thank you so much for all the great feedback. I can't tell you how much it means to me that you read and reviewed.**

**Eavesdropping**

**Chapter 6**

Another fund raising event for the Jeffersonian. Ugh. Angela had come to accept her compulsory attendance as one of the few things she didn't like about her job. There was the usual endless dry speeches laced with corny jokes given by assorted big cheese types with more hot air than personality. But the food was surprisingly good and as Hodgins' date, she got to sit with him, though the rest of the squints were scattered around the room so they could schmooze with their benefactors.

She looked across the room to where Brennan sat between a prominent businessman and some high powered lobbyist. She suppressed a laugh as she noticed that her friend had that look that said she had just finished arguing with the lobbyist and was a bit irritated at the outcome. Interestingly enough, they had seated Booth at the same table. He had gotten an invite due to his status as FBI liaison. Angela took a moment to admire how well he filled out his tux. She might be in a committed relationship with Hodgins, but that didn't mean she couldn't appreciate a fine looking man like Booth. She slid a sideways look at her date. He was no slouch in the fineness department either. Catching her eye, he smiled and her heart skipped a beat. Oh, yeah, he was hotness personified.

There was a smattering of polite clapping, then another speaker took the podium. Angela looked back over and noticed Brennan was missing. Her gaze roamed the crowded ballroom and she spotted Booth's back disappearing through the double doors at the back of the room. Interesting.

Angela looked over at Brennan's table several times over the next ten minutes, but neither of the partners had returned and she was beginning to get suspicious. Finally she couldn't suppress her curiosity another minute. Murmuring an excuse, she pushed back from the table and made her way out of the ballroom. Standing in the softly lit hallway, she looked up and down, but nobody was in sight. Moving toward the ladies' room, she noticed the door of the cloakroom where everyone had deposited their coats and wraps was closed. She didn't think anything of it until a muffled giggle from behind the door brought her up short. They wouldn't--! Then she heard a muted thud as something heavy—a body maybe?—hit the door followed by a deep male groan and Angela crept closer to listen.

"Shhh!" somebody hissed. "Do you want to get caught?" Brennan's voice. Clapping a hand over her mouth, Angela tried to stay calm.

"Would that be so bad?" Booth said low. "At least then we wouldn't have to sneak—" he said, but the rest got cut off—by Brennan's mouth maybe?

Angela had heard enough. Nearly giddy with glee, she went on to the bathroom and took care of business, taking her time. She was hoping to catch one of the clandestine lovers leaving the cloakroom.

As luck would have it, she caught them both. She came along just as Booth came out, pulling Brennan along behind him. He froze when he saw Angela, dropping Brennan's hand like it had burned him. Brennan collided with his back with a small squeak.

"Angela!" Booth said, smiling uncertainly, his eyes darting around as he looked for any other witnesses. He couldn't have looked more guilty if she had caught them in the act.

"Hi, Booth," Angela replied, looking him up and down with a sly grin. "Enjoying the banquet?"

"Uh, yeah…we were just looking for the bathroom…" he began lamely. Brennan seemed to be having a hard time meeting Angela's eyes.

"Just down that way," Angela directed, pointing down the hall. Nodding his thanks, he turned to go, but her next words stopped him. "You might want to check yourself in the mirror," she said with a chuckle. "That shade of lipstick doesn't really go with your complexion." His hand automatically came up to wipe his mouth and Angela laughed. "Oh, and Bren? You missed a button." Leaving them to stare after her in shock, Angela went on to the ballroom and returned to her seat.

The grin she wore must have been a tad too big, because Hodgins smiled at her and raised his eyebrows. Leaning toward her, he whispered, "What's going on?"

She made an effort to cheer down a bit. "I'll tell you later," she promised, lips twitching. And she would, because this wasn't the kind of news she could keep to herself without exploding. Telling Hodgins would be enough of a release so that she could contain herself. For awhile, anyway.

She contained herself until Monday morning. She even managed to wait until Booth showed up and went into Brennan's office. That was the limit of her patience.

She went in and closed the door behind her. Brennan gave her an absent look, then returned to the file she was perusing. Booth glanced over from his usual seat in the chair in front of the desk. His reaction to her presence was interesting. Straightening in the chair, he smoothed his tie and glanced at his watch, perhaps trying to think of a good reason to escape?

"Okay, how long has this been going on?" Angela asked bluntly. They both gave her a startled look.

Then the partners exchanged a glance.

"This?" Booth asked with studied puzzlement.

"You two…being involved," Angela explained patiently.

Another glance was exchanged. Brennan folded her hands on the blotter in front of her. "What makes you think we're involved?"

"Oh, come on! I practically caught you in the act at the banquet," Angela said, folding her arms and giving them a 'you're not fooling me' look.

They exchanged another glance and Booth gave a slight nod. "We should have known we couldn't fool you, Angela," Brennan said with a sigh of resignation.

Angela's grin was huge. "We're trying to keep it quiet," Booth hastened to say.

"Oh, c'mon you guys! We're all way ahead of you. Everybody who has ever seen you together knew you two would get together eventually."

Brennan frowned. "Do you expect us to announce it to the world?"

Angela snorted. "Why not? It's not like you're going to shock anyone. The overall reaction is going to be 'What the hell took you so long?'"

Booth looked doubtful. "You really think so?"

Angela rolled her eyes. "Trust me. Nobody's gonna freak." She watched them exchange another look and decided it was time to make herself scarce. She turned to go. "Well, I gotta get back to work. I'm glad you two finally went for it." With a smile and a wave she was gone. An awkward silence fell.

"Do you think she's right?" Brennan asked softly.

"I don't know, I suppose she could be. Thing is, I don't know how much longer we could keep it quiet anyway. And I'm tired of trying. Sneaking around isn't nearly as much fun as I thought it would be," he said wryly.

Brennan pursed her lips. "Things could get complicated."

A smile cocked up a corner of his lips. "They already are." She gave him a dubious look. "Look, would it make a difference if I promised to keep things professional while we are on the job?"

Brennan nodded slowly. "We have to. I just can't be like Angela and Hodgins, teasing and flirting…that just isn't me—"

Booth leaned forward, his look suddenly serious. "Really? What do you think we've been doing for the last couple years?" Her reply was a deep frown and he could tell she wasn't following. "All the bickering, the meaningful looks…they were all a form of flirting."

Brennan shook her head. "Not for me, they weren't." His skeptical look forced her to explain. "I'm not good at reading subtext with people, Booth. If there was some kind of hidden meaning in our debates, it escaped my notice."

He needed to get closer to her. He got up and came around the desk, leaning his hips against the edge next to her. She straightened in the chair. His voice dropped to an intimate level. "Don't worry about it. I've had so much practice pretending…" he broke off as she narrowed her eyes at him. He leaned closer to whisper. "I'm not gonna lie and tell you I haven't thought about throwing you down across this desk and having you right here." She sucked in a breath at the mental image his words conjured. Her hands gripped the armrests of the chair as though she was controlling the urge to reach for him. His lips twitched and he went on. "But I know how important it is to you to maintain a certain amount of professionalism, and I respect that. I also know that once the powers that be get wind of this, how they react will hinge on our behavior. And since I want to continue working cases with you, it would behoove me to do my best to show them that we can be involved without letting it affect our professional relationship." He reached out to touch her cheek. "As long as I know that at the end of the day, I get to have you in my arms, I can handle it. What I couldn't handle is losing you," he finished, his voice rough with emotion. The tenderness in his eyes caught at her heart.

Brennan swallowed hard. "Me too," she admitted huskily.

His point made, he got up and went back around the desk to resume his seat. He had already touched her more than he should considering where they were. "So…what kind of weapon did you say…" he began, every bit of emotion gone from his voice.

Brennan took a deep, steadying breath. I can do this if he can, she told herself firmly. For their partnership, she had to put her heart in a box. Like Booth, she would hold onto the promise of being in his arms at the end of the day. It would have to be enough.

THE END


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